Abstract

Tanzania has about 38.8 million ha of forests. This is about
41% of the total land area. These resources are under enormous pressure from
human settlements and activities such as illegal harvesting, fires and mining.
These pressures lead to deforestation, estimated to be 91 000 ha per
annum.

Forests play an important role in the livelihoods of
Tanzanians. It is estimated that more than 90% of the population uses wood for
domestic energy. Forests also provide various non-wood products and are
important for water catchment.

The forest resources need sustainable management for the
benefit of the present and future generations. For a long time forests in
Tanzania have been managed without full participation of the local communities
and other relevant stakeholders living around the forest resources.

Local communities have a significant role in improving forest
management and their participation can therefore contribute significantly to
effective management of these resources. Strategies of involving communities and
other stakeholders in forest management in Tanzania are referred to
Participatory Forest Management (PFM).

PFM has been accorded high priority both in the National
Forest Policy and the National Forest Programme (NFP). Legal and institutional
frameworks for supporting PFM implementation are also in place. PFM is part of
an overall rural development strategy, intended to improve rural livelihoods and
thereby help reduce poverty, while at the same time protecting the environment
and promoting equitable distribution of benefits.

Over the past five years a range of projects have been testing
PFM in many parts of the country and have made generally good progress. Over 902
out of 10 000 villages are currently practising PFM in Tanzania and over 441 881
ha are under Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) while 396 330 ha are
panned or under Joint Forest Management (JFM).

In order to secure the sustainability of PFM, focus is both on
conservation and economic incentives for communities. One of the most
significant developments in PFM in Tanzania has been the effort to strengthen or
reintroduce indigenous knowledge and practices in managing and protecting
forests.

Tanzania has about 38.8 million ha of forests. This is about
41% of the total land area. These resources are under enormous pressure from
human settlements and activities such as illegal harvesting, fires and mining.
These pressures lead to deforestation, estimated to be 91,000 ha per
annum.

Forests play an important role in the livelihoods of
Tanzanians. It is estimated that more than 90% of the population uses wood
energy for domestic. Forests also provide various non-wood products and are
important for water catchment.

The forest resources need sustainable management for the
benefit of the present and future generations. For a long time forests in
Tanzania have been managed without full participation of the local communities
and other relevant stakeholders living around the forest resources.

Local communities have a significant role in improving forest
management and their participation can therefore contribute significantly to
effective management of these resources. Strategies of involving communities and
other stakeholders in forest management in Tanzania are referred to
Participatory Forest Management (PFM).

PFM has been accorded high priority both in the National
Forest Policy and the National Forest Programme (NFP). Legal and institutional
frameworks for supporting PFM implementation are also in place.

PFM is part of an overall rural development strategy, intended
to improve rural livelihoods and thereby help reduce poverty whilst at the same
time protecting the environment and promoting equitable distribution of
benefits.

Over the past five years a range of projects have been testing
PFM in many parts of the country and made generally good progress. Over 902 out
10,000 villages are currently practising PFM in Tanzania and over 441,881 ha are
under Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) while 396,330 ha are panned or
under Joint Forest Management (JFM).

In order to secure the sustainability of PFM, focus will be
both on conservation and economic incentives for communities.

One of the most significant developments in PFM in Tanzania
has been effort to strengthen or reintroduce indigenous knowledge and practice
in managing and protecting forests.

With devolution of power, roles and responsibilities of
managing forest resources to the low level of governance and recognition of
indigenous knowledge, scaling up of PFM implementation is has a bright
future.

[1] Minister for Natural Resources
and Tourism, Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism, United Republic
of Tanzania. Email: fordev@africaonline.co.tz